


Playin' the Odds

by Literupture



Series: Playing for Keeps [3]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Casual Sex, Casual sex to eventual love, Combat, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Mild Language, Sexual Content, Smut, mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-02-07 05:46:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18614365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Literupture/pseuds/Literupture
Summary: Things might not be perfectly set up, but Vallory's taking her chances.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter one for plot, chapter two for the smut. And yes, Vallory's Ghost is named Bacon.

"I'm starting to get tired of picking up these... things," Vallory groaned, uprooting the glowing datalattice from its perch on a rocky slate. She wasn't even sure what datalattices were, but she knew that the resource had its uses. At least, she'd seen her Ghost use them on her gear before, and the armor felt stronger afterwards, more durable.

"We just need a few more to get us to a comfortable amount, Val," assured Bacon, her Ghost. "Then we'll be at a nice, round number." He hovered near his Titan's left elbow while she harvested the luminous, digital-looking material. His multi-faceted shell was a sleek maroon, similar in color to some of the plants Vallory had seen on this planet. When she finished removing the datalattlice, he quickly scanned it with his neon-blue eye, and then transmatted it to their supplies.

"Ugh, I'm just dying to punch something," Vallory sighed. She stood up straight, stretched her arms, then lazily looked around for the location of the next nearest datalattice marked by her ghost. Nessus, the unstable centaur that they were on, was pretty, but Val would much rather be shooting or punching the planet's invasive Vex. For some reason, her gathering trip had so far been uninterrupted by any enemies. From under her obsidian-colored helmet, she frowned, but hopped down the mesa towards the marked location.

Heavy greaves hit the earth with a thud, and a small flock of crimson birds shot out of a nearby tree. Vallory paused to watch the birds fly overhead. The wildlife on Nessus was vibrant and unfamiliar to her; she wondered why a planet mostly converted by a race of hostile machines provided an excellent tropical environment for animals to thrive.

I'll leave that to the scientists, Vallory thought. She was certain that the archives at the Tower had plenty of information on this planetoid--not that she would actually get around to poring over those dusty tomes. She'd probably ask Karyna and Entropy-4 later; thankfully both of her Warlock friends were well-read.

A loud hissing sound, like static blaring from a loudspeaker, broke her from her reverie. She whipped around to see a hazy, computerized cloud appear above the cliff near where she had been standing only moments before. 

Vex.

The promise of combat injected a wave of adrenaline into her body. Vallory drew her hand cannon from its holster on her waist with speed and ease--something that she'd done so many times that it felt as natural to her as breathing. She sprinted towards a large rock formation and slid into a crouch behind it.

Vallory peeked around her cover to see a group of Vex arrive. Her eyes passed over each enemy, assessing their ranks. The group appeared to be five bronze Vex Goblins and two Hobgoblins, accompanied by a single, massive Vex Minotaur.

She watched as a trio of Goblins scanned the area with their red eyes. The remaining pair crouched to study the remnants of a datalattice--the one she had plucked earlier. The two Hobgoblins flanked the Minotaur, giving no sign of movement except for their swishing, whip-like tails.

"I think that's a transport party," Bacon whispered over his Guardian's pauldron. "Might be carrying a bunch of loot."

She gave her Ghost a silent nod. The Minotaur raised a silver limb, and after emitting a series of beeps, a wide chest appeared at its feet. 

Vallory saw her opportunity. In one second the machine lowered a weaponized arm; in the next, a vicious crack rang out as its arm was blown off and sent clattering to the ground.

The group of Vex turned to face the direction of the shot. Vallory had left her cover and was standing tall with her gun cocked. She felt the heat of the barrel through her gauntlets--a comfortable warmth that belonged to her. An angry sounding beep came from one of the Vex, something akin to a war cry, and they moved to engage her.

Val sheathed her gun and reached out to the Light. She made a sweeping motion with her arm, and summoned a luminous purple Void shield. The Vex had begun shooting at her. She drew up her shield to block the incoming damage, but a few stray metal rounds pierced her armor. A sharp pain arose in her side, but she ignored it. She ran to the nearest Goblin and slammed into it with her shield, instantly killing it. 

The Vex Hobgoblins charged and fired their line rifles at her. One laser was blocked by her shield, but the other clipped her thigh. It cut through the surface of her leg plates, searing her light blue skin. She cried out in pain, but turned that pain into fury and threw her shield at one of the Hobgoblins with great force. The shield cut through the first one's head with Void energy, then it pinballed to the second Hobgoblin, decapitating it. Their metal bodies disintegrated in a Void-purple haze.

Her shield returned to her; she lunged to the next Goblin and rammed into it. She did the same to the remaining Goblins, zipping between her enemies until all that was left was the hulking Minotaur before her. 

Her shield vanished, its energy depleted. The Minotaur stared down at her, raising a pointed arm above its head. It beeped thrice as it brought its arm down on Vallory. 

She sidestepped and countered with a Void-charged punch to the machine's frame. It staggered backwards, Void particles tearing away at its surface, and Vallory drew her shotgun from her back. She fired three quick blasts at the small luminescent triangle on its abdomen. The triangle burst, spewing sizzling radiolarian fluid onto the earth. The Minotaur crumpled over, its torso falling away from the rest of its body, and the single bright red eye on its head faded as it died.

With the enemies neutralized, Vallory turned to the black supply chest. She noted that the chest itself did not appear to be of Vex origin, so it was likely stolen goods. Bacon reappeared at her side, scanned his Guardian, and proceeded to heal her. She steadied her breathing while her Ghost fussed over her, and within moments her injuries were gone.

"A little messy, but nice job," Bacon observed. He floated near Val's shoulder, his gaze moving to the chest at her feet. "Now let's see what goods these Vex were transporting."

Val crouched down in front of the chest and pressed a thumb into the latch. It popped open, its contents shining in the sun. Within the chest were stalks of datalattlices partially buried by blue heaps of glimmer. 

"Nice! That's exactly the amount we needed!" Her Ghost exclaimed, but Vallory wasn't really paying attention. She was staring down into the chest, focusing on how the stalks and the glimmer reminded her of a pleasant memory.

She smiled at how the stalks and glimmer resembled glass bottles of liquor among a bed of ice. It had only been a couple of weeks since the Tower had held its annual barbecue, and Val remembered reaching into a similarly shaped cooler to retrieve a couple of beers. She had skillfully balanced the drinks and two plates of hot food all the way to The Drifter's hideout. She'd been careful not to draw any attention making her way to him, and as a result they'd had a nice dinner together. They'd laughed and flirted at each other between bites, but it was only playful flirting, and neither of them had acted upon it--much to her disappointment. Still, she'd enjoyed the company of her shady friend; she found herself wondering when they would hang out next.

"Val? Everything okay?" Bacon had slipped underneath the space between her arm and the supply chest. He looked up at her, the corners of his shell twisted with concern.

"Uh... yeah," she replied, clearly distracted.

She blinked away the memory and stood up. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good. Let's grab this loot and go."

________________________________________

The Tower was seemingly filled to the brim with people. After dropping off her jumpship at the Hangar, Vallory transmatted herself down to the Tower's courtyard, and for a moment, she was surprised at how crowded it was. Employees decked in their bluish-grey work uniforms were everywhere; some were clustered in groups assigning and discussing their duties, others were transporting equipment to opposite ends of the headquarters, and a few hung by the Postmaster's booth--likely on break, since they were holding paper cups and chatting excitedly.

Alongside the chatter, power tools roared and whirred. On most days, the commotion from construction crews and mechanics was isolated to the Hangar, but today there were groups working here in the upper level. There were maintenance workers and builders decked in protective gear, finishing walls and reinforcing the architecture. 

Vanguard employees weren't the only ones swarming the headquarters. Civilians were dismounting the elevator and walking towards the Bazaar, and the Eververse booth and Cryptarch stall both had lines of Guardians. Vallory didn't see anyone she recognized, and she wasn't really in the spending mood. She did, however, have a few engrams to decode, so she made her way to the Cryptarch. 

At the end of the line stood a human Hunter wearing a tattered and red-hooded cloak. The rest of his gear was black fabric, fitted to his slim figure. His head was down and he was idly tapping at his communication tablet. His Ghost--a floating yellow diamond--was rotating its shell impatiently and spouting random observations of passerby. The hunter didn't seem to be paying attention, but for every few comments his Ghost made, he grunted in marginal acknowledgement.

Vallory leaned to take a peek at the front of the line. Master Rahool, the City's Cryptarch, stood with his palms outward and raised, and was attempting to calm down a fuming Warlock. The Warlock was clearly upset, and though there was clear frustration in their voice, they were trying their best not to make a scene. Val overheard enough to gather that the Warlock was not pleased with the engrams that Rahool had decrypted, and they were expressing their lack of satisfaction with his work over the past few months. 

Vallory sighed. At this rate, she'd be standing here for at least another hour, maybe even two.

Her Ghost materialized beside her. "Bored?" Bacon inquired, looking at his Titan with slight amusement. Val nodded. "Well, we could always come back later. Grab a bite to eat. Maybe do a mission or a couple Crucible rounds." He twirled his shell as he spoke, the afternoon sun reflecting on its surface.

"Hmm." Vallory pursed her lips, considering her options. She was always up for some food, but she wasn't too hungry at the moment. She thought about Crucible, but she wasn't really feeling that, either. "Yeah, none of those really sound appealing to me right now."

Bacon dipped slightly, as if to shrug. "There's always... that other thing," he whispered. The thing that they were specifically told to keep quiet about. Gambit.

Val bit her lip. She'd be lying if she said she didn't want to see The Drifter. If even seeing him for a few minutes meant that she could flirt with him, she'd gladly take that opportunity. Besides, he appeared to show some interest in her; Drifter never reacted poorly to her suggestive remarks, even flirting in return, and she'd seen subtle hints in his body language. The man was shrouded in mystery, though, so it was difficult to say for certain what his intentions were. However, Val was confident their interactions would lead to something, eventually. 

"Yeah... Okay. Why not?" she said slowly. "But uh, only if he's not busy. I don't want to stop waiting here just to go wait elsewhere." 

"You got it. I'll start up the comm link with him."

She fished a small wireless communicator from her belt, and pushed it into her ear. There was a bit of static, so she tried to adjust its position, but the static persisted.

"Sorry, there's a lot of interference. Likely because it's so busy today. I'll try my best to stabilize it."

The static continued, but a soft chime informed her that the connection was established. 

"Heeey." A smile tugged at the corner of Vallory's lips as The Drifter's smooth voice sounded in her ear. "It--shhh--Chosen One," 

The line cut out a bit, causing Val to furrow her eyebrows. Bacon looked at her apologetically and concentrated on holding the connection's frequency.

"Hey, hot stuff," Vallory replied, then braced herself for the adjacent Hunter's reaction. He didn't seem to hear it--or perhaps he did, but didn't care. The Hunter's Ghost swiveled to glance at her, then rolled its eye and went back to people-watching.

The Drifter let out a chuckle, but because there was interference, Val only heard bits of his laughter. "You gonna--shhhh--down here?"

She knew what he was trying to say, but her mind instinctively conjured dirty thoughts. "Oh, I'll be there," she added suggestively.

Val could hear the smile in his voice, even with the static in the feed. "You better be ready to bang--"

The connection dropped. Vallory felt her face getting hot.

She plucked the device from her ear and slipped it back into the pouch on her belt. A grin spread across her face as she took a step back and out of the line, nearly bumping into another Titan. He looked up briefly, then crossed his arms. 

"You can have my spot."

Val turned and hurried down the hallway, towards the staircase that connected the courtyard to the bazaar. There was a renewed vigor in her stride, but she managed to slip through the passerby without bumping into anyone. She was especially careful not to knock over any children or elderly.

"Wait, why are you...?" Bacon floated at her shoulder, trying to keep up with his Guardian's speed. Val had already safely cleared the second flight of stairs. "Val, I don't think--"

"Hush," Val cut him off. Then added gently, "Just let me have this."

Bacon let out an exasperated sigh. When his Guardian set her mind to something, it was difficult to steer her from that path. "Oh, fine," he surrendered. "I'll leave you to it, then. Just summon me if you need me. And... good luck."

Vallory turned to offer her Ghost an appreciative smile. "Thanks."


	2. Chapter 2

She weaved through the crowd in the connecting tunnel. The flow of the crowd was divided, with people on the right entering the tunnel and the people on the left side leaving. There was so much chatter that she could only faintly hear the dangling of wind chimes overhead as people passed through. When she felt that she was nearing the exit, she made a right, and was glad to find that her muscle memory deposited her at the entrance to The Drifter's corner. She'd frequented his hallway so often that its pale green light was no longer eerie, but welcoming. She slid underneath the gate and prayed that she would be the rogue Lightbearer's only company.

"Hey there, hero. Here for some Gambit?"

Val, now on the other side of the gate, stood and turned to find the owner of that smooth voice--The Drifter--alone. The corner of her mouth curved into a smirk. Good. 

She placed both of her hands on the bottom of the gate and pulled it downward. The metal let out a low screech as it moved, then clanged as hit the floor. She could only faintly hear the commotion of the Bazaar now.

"What's all this, then?" The Drifter asked, his tone curious, but Val sensed that he was just a tad alarmed. She crossed the floor toward him with such speed and urgency that when she pinned him against the far wall, he was reaching for the gun at his waist. She had anticipated his reflexes, though, so she grabbed his wrist and held it. She brought her face close to his and gazed into his icy blues, desire clear in her half-lidded eyes.

The Drifter let out a small chuckle. "What can I do for ya?" She knew he was playing coy; he had a wicked grin displayed on his face as he watched her.

"You've got something I need," Val breathed against him. Normally the air smelled of crude oil, but that was just the workshop. Now, with her face inches from his, she inhaled the scent of him; The Drifter smelled of smoke from a fire pit, mixed with the mildest amount of maple. She brought her lips near his throat and continued in a sultry voice. "Something that I've been needing for a while now."

"And what might that be?" he replied, his tone cool, but his breathing giving away his anticipation. Val felt his breath on her skin--hot and moist--and she could feel her body reacting to its warmth.

"Maybe I'll give you a hint."

She touched her soft lips against his skin ever so lightly. She could see his pulse quickening on the side of his throat, and she felt her own pulse speed up as well. The edge of his beard brushed against her face.

She parted her lips and ran the tip of her tongue slowly from his collarbone, right up to that pulse in his neck. She could taste the salt on him, and she heard him suck in air through his teeth.

Then she bit him near the base of his neck. Not too hard, but just enough that the arm she was holding tensed. She released her grip on his gauntlet and was pleased that he no longer reached for his gun, but moved his hand to the small of her back. He pressed her body against his, needing more of her touch, and Val became aware of how much gear the two of them wore. 

With his right hand, The Drifter tipped up Val's face until they were only inches apart. His eyes locked with hers, and she saw something she'd never seen behind those blue eyes--lust. His gaze moved to her full, red lips. He hesitated, looking briefly at her bright eyes, but when he saw that they shared the same hunger, he pressed his lips against hers.

It was a crushing kiss. Their mouths moved together, exploring each other's shapes. Val nipped at The Drifter's lower lip playfully, and he responded by sliding his tongue into her mouth. Their tongues writhed against each other--wrestling, tasting. When his tongue moved into her mouth again, she sucked on it hard, and The Drifter's chest rumbled as he moaned in pleasure.

Now his gloves were gliding against her armor, searching the ends for fasteners. She figured she'd save him the trouble, so she broke the kiss and undid the latches of her chest plate. She pulled her gauntlets off and dropped them to the floor, then removed her chest plate and dropped it on top of the gauntlets. She bent to undo the latches of her greaves and stepped out of them, tossing them onto the pile of her gear.

When she stood up, she was wearing only a black thermal shirt and tight shorts. She found him watching her intently, his eyes taking in her curves. He let out a whistle.

"Always figured you had some killer curves under all that armor," he observed. Val grinned at him; she'd been complimented by previous lovers many times before, but this compliment was unique to him. "Glad to see I was right."

"Your turn," she said, closing the distance between them again. "You'll be able to feel these curves a little better when you lose the gloves."

The Drifter's eyes trailed along her form as he discarded his gauntlets. He removed the gun tucked in the leather belt at his waist and placed it on a small table, mindfully facing it away from the two of them. He made quick work of the leather wrappings and shrugged out of his dark green duster and gi, stacking them on top of the gun. The only article of clothing left on his upper body was a thin, dark undershirt.

His hands now bare, the Drifter glided them down the curve of her back. Meanwhile, Val's slender fingers fiddled with the button of his pants. She was pleased to find his length pressing against the fabric. Her mind skipped ahead and she forced herself to bite her lip. He responded by undoing the button for her, and when she unzipped his pants, she briefly met his eyes--such a fierce blue, even in the dim lighting of the room.

Val returned her gaze to his crotch, and with one hand she freed his erection. She marveled at his size, wrapping her fingers around it and giving him a single stroke. Precum dripped off the head, and she caught it with the index finger of her other hand. She brought her finger to her lips and sucked, letting out a low moan, and she felt him twitch in her hand.

She liked this feeling of control she held over him, even if it was just here, in this moment, hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the Tower. She could probably get away with teasing him only for a little while longer before he gave in to their mutual lust, but she was determined to draw his urges out of him. 

Val pulled down on the waistband of his pants as she moved to sit on her knees. She rested her left hand on the firm muscle of his thigh to steady herself, and with her right hand she guided him into her mouth.

The Drifter's hands went to her hair. She swirled her tongue along his shaft and bobbed her head, eliciting rugged moans from him. Encouraged, she pushed further, the head of his cock pushing into the back of her throat, and in response he rocked his hips. She matched his pace, bobbing and sucking with his thrusts, and her eyes began to sting as she deep throated him.

Vallory didn't care. She reveled in the fact that the man she'd been eyeing for weeks shared her desires. She let him throat-fuck her, and she looked up to see his eyes closed as he moaned with every thrust. That sight alone was enough for her. A few more thrusts had him climaxing, and she swallowed around his cock as he released at the back of her throat. His knees buckled slightly, and he leaned back against the wall for support.

"Fuck," he gasped, and Val removed him from her mouth. She had a smug look on her face as she rose to her feet, and though she was satisfied that he got off, she wasn't done with him.

"Who knew I'd been missing out on that mouth of yours?"

She smiled seductively. "Tapping out already?"

"Hell no."

Before Val could respond, The Drifter looped one arm around her and placed another hand behind her shoulder. With a single, swift movement, he lowered her to the floor. She felt the cold of the cement beneath even through her clothing and the wide rug that he laid her upon, and the plastic of a coiled tube jabbed into her side. She focused her eyes on him as he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside, then stepped out of his pants and boots. Scars stretched across and dotted his skin, over his arms and chest, and Val was sure there were many more on his back. She would be lying if she said she wasn't a little curious, but she also didn't care. She wasn't some innocent girl batting her eyelashes, wishing he'd tell her the stories of each scar as they cuddled under a starry sky. Not my place to care, she thought. And he wouldn't, either. All she wanted was primal lust, and she knew he'd be the same.

He leaned over her, naked, and her legs parted for him. He bent to kiss her neck, grazing his teeth against her skin with every kiss. The jade pendant that hung around his neck was a chilly brand on her skin, but the heat from his body warmed her. She ran her fingertips along his back, feeling his muscles tense, and he slid a hand underneath her shirt. A tiny shiver went through her as his calloused hands glided over her belly, and suddenly she wanted nothing else but to feel his rough hands on every part of her body. She grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it off, along with her bra. He helped her by sliding off her underwear, and with no clothes or armor to hinder them, The Drifter gave in to the desire building within his core.

He placed the head of his cock at her entrance, her warmth and wetness barely touching him, then gripped her hips as he slowly eased himself into her. Val let out a deep breath that she didn't know she'd been holding.

He pushed until his entirety was in her, then he began to move. He started with a couple long thrusts, his fingers massaging her bare ass as he moved, then he quickened the pace. Val dug her fingernails into his back, and her own back arched to deepen his thrusts. He answered by thrusting in and out of her with enough ferocity that his balls slapped against her.

Even with him encompassing and filling her, Val couldn't get enough of him. This was exactly what she'd been wanting from him since she'd first met him. She crossed her ankles around his waist and cursed and moaned until they were both grunting. He continued massaging her ass with one hand, but the other moved to her breasts, gripping as he rocked against her.

She couldn't resist taunting him again. "More," she panted. "Is that... all you've got?"

The Drifter's eyes darkened. His hands went to her thighs, and in an instant he had flipped Vallory over. Her belly was flat against the rug, and the hose that was previously digging into her back now pressed painfully against her ribs. He pulled both of her arms against her back, crossing her wrists, and re-entered her. 

"Fuck yes," she muttered, and he'd only barely heard it.

"Oh, yeah? You like getting fucked like this?" His thrusts were deeper and faster now, and Val closed her eyes. She couldn't see him, but she'd bet glimmer that there was a nasty smile on his face.

She was going dizzy with pleasure and his movements were unrelenting. She felt the pressure within her building fast, and she was certain she wouldn't be able to last much longer. The pressure rose until it finally hit the ceiling; she cried out and her legs quivered and body jerked as she came hard. Shortly after, The Drifter followed suit, swearing, his thrusts slowing and final as he emptied himself into her.

He held himself in her for a moment longer, then he pulled out, leaving a sticky white trail between their bodies. He let go of her arms and allowed himself to collapse beside her, and the both of them lay there on their backs, the rise and fall of their chests slowing to a steady rhythm.

Naturally, The Drifter was the first to speak.

"I figured you were good, but had I known you were that good, I would've acted on ya sooner."

Vallory scoffed. "I'm fairly certain that I'm the one who made the move."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his lips move into a smirk. "Heh. Maybe ya did. Maybe it's no coincidence that the conversation that brought you down here was a little... faulty."

Val shifted onto an elbow to gawp at him, slightly wincing at the pain she felt on her ribs and back. "You set that up?"

He said nothing, only shrugged. No wonder he was alone when she arrived. Other guardians hadn't interrupted them, either. She doubted he arranged for the Tower to be so conveniently busy, but the comm link interference was believable.

Vallory sat up now. "Clever bastard. My Ghost is gonna freak," she said, partly in worry, but mostly in adoration. 

"Mm."

She met his eyes again, but his expression was unreadable.

"Hey, Drifter..." 

"Yeah?" The Drifter was sitting up now, watching her, but it felt like he wasn't really focusing on what she was saying. The guy fucks you, then goes back to being shrouded in mystery, Val thought.

She respected that, though. "Listen... I want to be clear here," she began. "I think we might be on the same page--correct me if I'm wrong--but what happened just now was fucking awesome. I'd be down for more, in the future."

He opened his mouth to speak, but she continued. 

"I'm all for getting fucked out of my mind," Val said, and there was a hint of fondness in her tone. "But don't get any ideas about anything beyond that."

The Drifter worked his jaw, mulling over her words. "Ideas such as...?"

Vallory exhaled impatiently. Why did he have to make her say it? "Romance. All that lovey-dovey crap. I'm not interested in it."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, lucky for you, I'm a busy guy. Ain't got time for love."

Questions about his past rose at the back of her mind, but she forced those thoughts down. What mattered was that he understood her. "Good," she replied, then shakily stood up. Her legs felt a little weak, but she was otherwise unfazed. She found her underwear and shirt in the pile of clothes and put them back on. "So, wanna grab a bite?"

That signature grin of his returned, and he reached for his clothing. "Already nibbled you a bit."

She rolled her eyes. "Actual food," she said, picking up his t-shirt from the ground and throwing it at him. "Come on. It'll be my treat. And no, it's not a date."

He slipped the t-shirt over his head and rose to pull on his pants. "Course not," he said, stepping into his boots. 

Both of them were almost completely clothed again. She turned toward him and gave him a curt nod. 

"Let's go, cowboy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it! This is the first fic I ever wrote featuring Val and Drifter. Took me months to actually finish it, and longer to muster the courage to publish it, heh. I'm not super experienced when it comes to writing smut, but I hope it was enjoyable! Thanks for reading!


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